Attaching mechanism



June. 6, 1939.

M. L, BOWEN ATTACHING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. '22, 1937 INVENTOR I Mf/PA/A/ A. fiow'ls ATTORNEY un 1939- M. BOWEN ATTACHING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 22 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Min/1v 1. 30 wu BY W W ATTORNEY Patented June 6, 1939- UNITED STATES 2,161,404 Arraonmc. MECHANISM Merlin L. Bowen, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Universal Button Fastening & Button Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application September 22, 1937, Serial No. 165,165

. '7 9 Claims.

This invention relates to attaching mechanism, and among other objects aims to provide apparatus for locating and attaching fastening devices on garments and the like.

The nature of the invention may be readily understood by reference to one illustrative apparatus embodying the invention and shown in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the attaching and locating apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating a later stage in the operation of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation on a smaller scale of the entire apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation taken approximately from the plane 44 of Fig. 3;v M ,Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of a garment lwhich'will serve to illustrate, the purpose of the apparatus; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the plane i 6 6 of Fig. 5 illustrating snap fastener elements attached in registry to portions of the garment. In the manufacture of overalls, workmens clothing, and the like, it is generally the practice to attach buttons, snap fasteners, and the like by machine. In the rapid operations incident to machineattachment, buttons and other fasteners are frequently improperly located so as not to register with the button hole or mating fastener. Lack of registry is objectionable for a number of reasons, such as causing a wrinkle or unsightly appearance when the garment is buttoned or the snap fasteners connected. The overall bib shown in Figs. 5 and 6 will serve to illustrate the need for registry. Sewed to the bib 10 is a pocket I I which carries along its free upper edge I2 a pair of snap fastener sockets l3 which have preferably been attached to the pocket element before" it has been sewed to the bib; To avoid wrinkling and bulging; it is important that the. mating snap fastener studs M be attached to the bib ill at points which register exactly with the snap fastener sockets 13. Similarly along the edge of a coat, it is essential that the buttons register exactly with the button holes or, if snap fasteners be used, that the snap fastener elements along one. edge of the coat register exactly with the mating snap fastener elements along the other edge.

The present invention combines locating mechanism with attaching mechanism so that at the time of attachment, the button, snap fastener, or other elementswill be correctly located on the fabric. The invention is here illustrated in connection with the attachment of a snap fastener The attaching apparatus employed may advantageously be of the type shown in Clark Patent 1,798,970, although as will presently appear,

.many of the details of the attaching mechanism are not involved in the present invention. Attaching mechanisms of this type are adapted to advance a pronged fastener i5 to attaching position (see Fig, 1) in which position it is caused to penetrate the fabric of the garment lying in the jaw iii of the apparatus and to be upset or bent inside of a button or snap fastener element coming 20 carrying the upper die plunger is a locating device in the form of a yoke 2| whose function it is to displace the overlying portion of the garment to permit the snap fastener studs H! to be brought into engagement with the cloth and to be attached firmly thereto by the pronged fastener 15.

In its initial position (see Fig. 1) the tip 22 of the locating device 2| may. serve as a gauge against which the overlying portion of the garment may be placed when the garment is inserted into the jaw of the machine in order to bring the underlying portion of the garment (i. e., the bib H1) into proper longitudinal relation with the attaching position. Such initial position of the tip 22 is adjusted by the screw 23 carried by the yoke and abutting against the surface 24 of the apparatus. The adjustment of screw 23 depends upon the spacing of the outer snap fastener element (or the button hole in the event the apparatus is used for attaching buttons) from the edge of the cloth. Lateral positioning of the garment relative to attaching position is effected by positioning the snap fastener element I 3 in alignment with the center of the tip 22 which, in this instance, is notched as shown at 25 (Fig. 4) to allow the locating device to clear the attached snap fastener stud (or button) as presently explained. A spring 26 connected to studs 21 on the main frame of the machine and the locating device 2i serves to hold the latter resiliently in its initial position (see Fig. 1).

The locating device may advantageously be provided with a guide 28 to assist in centering the garment laterally in attaching position and to avoid the necessity for a visual alignment of the fastening element with the positioning device. Such guide is here shown in the form of a projecting blade (see Figs. 1 to 4) so adjusted relative to the locating device that when engaged by the edge of the snap fastener stud (or other fastening element) the latter (and the underlying fabric) will be centered laterally in attaching 30 passes to clamp the guide in adjusted position. The garment may thus be accurately centered" in the apparatus by reference .to the overlying snap fastener element l3 (or' button hole in the event buttons are to be attached), to bringthe underlying portion of the garment to which the snap fastener stud or button is to be attached, into exact registry with attaching position in the apparatus. 7

Upon descent of the plunger ll (carrying with it the snap fastener. stud or other element to be attached), the holder l8 engages the cam surface 3|, thereby outwardly displacing the locating device and with it the overlying portion of the garment to expose the underlying portion of the garment for the attaching operation. Upon retraction or raising ofthe die plunger and the holder la, the positioning device is allowed to returnto its initial position, the notch 25 in its tip permitting it to clear the attached snapfastener stud. The garment may then be moved to register another portion thereof in attaching position. The locating device 2| is provided with an opening 32 (see Fig. 4) to. clear the feeding slide 33 (which is an element peculiar to. the mechanism of Patent #1,798,970) as the latter advances to. place a snap fastener stud in alignment with attaching position in its holder I8.

. 'Itshouldbe understood that the locating device 2| may also be pivoted to the apparatus to swing laterally instead'of forwardly, if the apparatus is to be used on garments in which the overlying portion must be displaced laterally instead of forwardly as hereshown. The principle and mode of operation would be unchanged.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the details of the illustrative construction since these may be variously modified. Moreover it is not indispensable that all features of the invention be used conjointly since various features may be used to advantage in different combinations and subcombinations.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for attaching fastening devices to. fabric comprising in combination attaching mechanism, an oscillatable displacing device, and means for operating said displacing device to. displace anoverlying piece of fabric to expose an underlying portion of fabric to attaching means of said attaching mechanism.

2. Apparatus for. attaching fastening devices to fabric comprising in combination attaching mechanism including a reciprocating attaching device, an oscillatable displacing device, and means for causing said displacing device to be operated by the operative movement of said reciprocating attaching device to displace an overlying piece offabric to expose an underlying portion of fabric to attaching means of said attaching mechanism.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination attaching mechanism adapted to attach a snap fastener element or the like to fabric, a locating device for centering .fabric in attaching position with reference to a previously attached fastening element, and means for operating said locating device to displace an overlying portion of fabric to expose an underlying fabric to attaching means.

4. Apparatus for attaching/a snap fastener element or the like in registry with a mating snap fastener element comprising in combination attaching mechanism, a locating device for positioning overlying portions of fabric in attaching position'by reference to the aforesaid mating fastoner, and means for moving said positioning device to displace the overlying portion of fabric to expose the underlying fabric for the attachmentof the aforesaid snap fastener element.

5. Apparatus 0f the character described comprising in combination attachment mechanism having a vertically reciprocating attaching plunger operableto attacha snap fastener element or the liketo the fabric, a locating device hinged to said mechanismand adapted to swing to displace a portion of the fabric fromattaching position, W

said locating fdevice havinga cam surface adapti ed to be engaged by said plunger on its operative stroke to swing said locating device.

6. Apparatus for attaching a snap fastener element or. the like in registry with a mating snap fastener element on an overlying piece of fabric comprising in combination attaching mechanism having 'a v ertically reciprocating plunger operable to effect attachment, a locating device hinged to said mechanism and adapted to engage the overlying portion of fabric to displace the same prior to the attaching operation, said 10- cating device having a'cam surface adapted to be engaged by said plunger on its descent for swinging the same to displace said overlying v fabric.

7. Apparatusfor attaching a. fastening member in registry with cooperating fastening means on an overlying piece of fabric comprising in. combination attaching mechanism, a locating device operable to displace said overlying fabricduring the attaching operation, and

means carried by said locating device for registering the cooperating fastening means on the overlying piece of fabric in attaching position.

8. Apparatus for attaching a fastening member in registry with cooperating fastening meansv on an overlying piece of fabric comprising in combination attaching. mechanism, a locating device operable todisplace said overlying fabric during the attaching operation,- and adjustable means carried by said locating device and positioned to be-engaged by said cooperating fastening means tolocate the latter'in registry with. attaching means.

.9. In akick-out' device for attachment'to a fastener-attachingmachine designed to secure partsof a fastener member upon a garment at a position underneath another complementary overlying portion of the garment, said pick-out device comprising a U-shapedyoke member having pivotal engagement at opposite sides of the stationary machine head and adapted to swing through the fastener setting station of the machine, means for actuating said yoke member from the driving mechanism of the machine, and means on said yoke member serving to act as a predetermined stop to the insertion of said garment into' the machine by its engagement with the forward edge of the overlying garment for properly orienting the garment with respect to the fastener setting station of the machine;

MERLIN L. BOWEN. 

